Billiards will always remain my first love: Advani

New Delhi: Even as Pankaj Advani gears up for the World Snooker Indian Open, starting here from Monday, he insisted on Sunday that his priority would always remain billiards.

Seven-time world billiard champion Advani had skipped the World Billiards Championship in Leeds this year to focus on the major snooker ranking event in Chengdu, China from October 27 to November 3.

"This time I have given World billiards a miss and my action would suggest that my priority has shifted to snooker but that`s not the case. Billiards will always remain my first priority, my first love, even though I am concentrating on snooker at the moment," clarified Advani.

"I have always said that billiards is my wife while snooker is my mistress, and right now I am attracted towards my mistress," he added.

Advani said he just wanted to give a shot at snooker.

"I have made this transition because I felt this is the right time to make a move. I have achieved everything in billiards and felt I need to give a shot to snooker and play in the professional circuit.

"I wasn`t expecting good results in my very first season but I am happy that I have secured good wins in the pro circuit," Advani said while speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the India Open.

The first of its kind competition to be held in India, featuring five former world champions, will be played out from October 14 to 18 here in the country`s richest and biggest major ranking snooker event -- the 300,000 pound Indian Open.

Advani said, "This tournament is special to me. This is a significant event happening in India for the first time, where all the top players of the world have come to play."

Advani is all set to shoulder the Indian hopes in this tournament along with compatriot Aditya Mehta, who is optimistic about the host cueists` chances.